Portraits of the Dead

Emma didn't know how long he hid, silent and unmoving, in the large Victorian wardrobe to the side of her single bed. She didn't know how long he peered out, salivating and drooling, between the two heavy dark oak doors, and watched, mesmerized, as she slowly drifted into fitful sleep. She didn't know what time he pushed the doors open and crept towards her in the drab grey darkness of the night.

Children to the Slaughter: Slaughter Series, Book 1

There is an evil lurking in the darkness, under the beds and behind closet doors. It seeks vengeance and retribution and will not be denied. No one knows this more than Alan Carter. Returning to his hometown after a 20-year absence, he is resolute in uncovering the truth behind his sister's abduction and the strange disappearance of children. Alan finds himself thrown into the middle of a conspiracy led by the town council as it desperately tries to hide its secrets from the world.

White Is the Coldest Colour: Dr. David Galbraith, Book 1

Fifty-eight year old Dr. David Galbraith, a sadistic, predatory paedophile employed as a consultant child psychiatrist, has already murdered one child in the soundproofed cellar below the South Wales Georgian townhouse he shares with his wife and two young daughters. Anthony becomes Galbraith's latest obsession and he will stop at nothing to make his grotesque fantasies reality.

Shadows of Tomorrow

Earth is at war. Portals are opening across the planet and bringing creatures known as Outsiders. Their only desire is to eat, leaving a trail of destruction in their path. The only people who can stop them are the Defenders - led by Gareth Walker - who can open portals of their own to target the Outsiders in minutes. Gareth's only advantage is an ability to see glimpses of his future.

The Sick House: The Ulrich Files, Book 1

Dr. Siegfried Klein has vanished on a mysterious pilgrimage to an abandoned infirmary in the ghost-town of Moonville. The locals in the surrounding areas are tight-lipped, hostile to outsiders. Local legend has it that the old Sick House is packed with spirits, none of them friendly, and that to set foot in it is to enter Hell itself.

Transmission: A Supernatural Thriller

College students Kenji and Dylan stumble upon a strange recording in the background of an obscure song. It's a woman's voice uttering a string of seemingly random characters. Upon further inspection, the song appears to have been embedded with a hidden message. Attempting to crack the mysterious code and becoming obsessed with the recording, Kenji and Dylan set off in search of answers. With every turn in the road however, the puzzle only seems to grow more complicated.

The Cryptic Lines

Lord Alfred Willoughby is deciding what is to become of his vast fortune after his death. Whilst his head is telling him to leave nothing at all to his wastrel son, Matthew, his heart is speaking differently. After much deliberation, in a last-ditch attempt to try and show to his son the importance of applying himself to a task and staying with it to the end, he devises a series of enigmatic puzzles cunningly concealed within the lines of a poem - the cryptic lines.

The Black Talisman

Deep in a deserted forest, a coven of witches is taken by surprise as they attempt to summon the Dark Lord, Anubin, from the spirit world. At his Easter camp, young Gilbert Hawkins has an amazing divine encounter. However, as the subsequent years pass, he and his girlfriend find themselves increasingly the subject of demonic visitations. What is the connection between these seemingly isolated events, over 300 years apart?

The Conqueror Worm: Black Exorcist, Book 1

The year is 2023. The world's power grids have been destroyed by a Carrington-level solar storm. Humanity is plunged into a new and savage dark age, pushed to the brink of extinction by famine, disease, and social unrest, and preyed upon further by demonic forces. Desperate survivors turn to a divided Catholic church in search of hope. On one side there is the church of Rome. On the other, a rival papacy set up in Avignon, France.

A Mind to Kill: A gripping psychological thriller packed with suspense

When Rebecca's childhood abuser escapes justice, it sets her on a path to revenge. Revenge on any man who preys on the innocent. A gripping, audiobook psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Wretchedness

A peculiar tablet unearthed in a Middle Eastern ossuary provokes madness in those who encounter it. One by one, people come under the tablet's sway and are subjected to horrific visions and dreams. In time, the tablet's true purpose becomes clear: It is the harbinger of an eons-dead god whose reemergence will steep the world in terror and suffering. Having put the pieces together, two men race against the clock and attempt to disrupt the terrifying work of an ancient cult.

Greatshadow: The Dragon Apocalypse, Book 1

After stealing a priceless relic from the Church of the Book, Infidel is the world's most infamous mercenary. Now she's got her eyes on a new prize, the fabled treasure trove of the dragon Greatshadow. Joining forces with a band of dangerous rogues, can she survive her own allies long enough to face the dragon?

Publisher's Summary

When his experiment goes horribly wrong, leaving an innocent man dead, Ambrose leaves the Wizard's Guild low in confidence and filled with guilt, for a wilderness rife with dastardly hunters and the surrealist of creatures, in search of a new purpose in life.

In his search for redemption, Ambrose wanders to the campfire of Bertold, a brute of a man who harbors a sadistic fixation with the torture of Bloodsuckers. This discovery opens a door for Ambrose in which he is forced to take a stand. A woman, the most beautiful Ambrose has ever laid eyes upon, is bolted to the ground by her wrists and ankles as Bertold waits for the sun to rise and roast her alive.

The wizard, displaying instant sympathy, calls his morals and magic into action in a bid to rescue the Bloodsucker from the brutal hands of the hunter...and what follows leads Ambrose on the most dangerous adventure of his life.

It's nice to see a wizard that is not the be all and end all to the world that simply has his own agenda and can win or fail just like the rest of us. I believe this would be a great introduction to the Wizards powers and would allow for real growth in his character and abilities as it progresses. A good read well worth the time, Jake Urry did his usual perfection narrating this tale, entering the characters and delivering us a believable performance, at times Eg the big hunter with the stolen heart. Jake make me laugh out loud, making others look at me funny as wearing earphones they just thought me mad. Jim

Amazing listen, it wasn't as dark as I first feared, thankfully... A good deal of the characters were really likeable, even loveable! Without the sexy bits, don't worry there isn't too many of those, this would be a great young adult read. I absolutely love & adore the " Tookingtons". This book is mammoth & could become one of the all time greats. Narrated by Jake Urry an outstanding narrator.

I fully intend to listen to this story again because I'm certain to pick out pieces I've missed the first time around. There's multiple tales going on at the same time, all woven together in a mystical world.

What other book might you compare A Wizard to, and why?

The complex predicaments that our characters found themselves in form a very rich storyline. I'd certainly put this book somewhere within the Harry Potter genre, perhaps with the vivid expanse that comes with Lord of The Rings.

What about Jake Urry’s performance did you like?

Jake has an uncanny ability to slide his voice into a character that seem to fit perfectly.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The plight of the beautiful Bloodsucker, especially whilst on the run with the Shapeshifter was a very exciting part of this book. The descriptions, the fear, the turmoil all bound me very firmly into the story.

Ambrose is in a self-imposed exile after he accidentally killed a man with his magic. Now this wizard roams the wilderness looking for a purpose and possibly for redemption. He comes across Bertold who has a bloodsucker imprisoned. He’s waiting for the sun to rise and roast her alive. Ambrose won’t stand for this and his actions change the course of his life, bringing unexpected companions into his life along with deadly danger.

This tale had some high points, some amusing moments, and a lot of info dumps. Sometimes I was totally engaged and sometimes I was bored. the villains are really easy to spot being brutish, so that took some of the suspense out of the book.

Florentina is the bloodsucker (vampire) that Ambrose rescued at the beginning of the tale. She’s got some dimension to her. She’s suffering from an illness that means she needs fresh blood. Ambrose vows to find a cure for her but his wizard skills are still in their fledgling state. He bumbles his way through the book. Florentina offers some wisdom and acts like a central spoke around which all the other characters rotate.

Each time we got a new character in this tale, there would be a big info dump that would mostly be their back story. It was a rather tedious way to get introduced to each character. It often took me away from the plot. From Florentina to Reggie to the Wolfboy to even Bertold. It was like reading a character development sheet instead of being an integrated part of the story.

Florentina and Ambrose fall in love almost instantly. It’s not even lust. It’s this deep soul-cleaving love. Since it was so automatic I had trouble getting behind it.

The Tookingtons were amusing. They were these little animated flowers that acted as an honor guard for Florentina. Definitely dangerous in great numbers.

By the end, Ambrose and his crew still have some things to wrap up. I smell a sequel in the making. I was very satisfied to see that Ambrose had found his tribe. He’s the stronger for it.

The Narration: Jake Urry is so good in every book I have listened to him narrate and his performance here doesn’t disappoint. He gives Florentina an accent. The Wolfboy gets his own unique voice. The ladies sound like actual women. Ambrose’s emotions are nicely displayed in this narration.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Simona

05/10/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"A horrific wizard story"

I've read many stories about wizard's and this one took me by surprise in many places. Quite a few situations in this story is unexpected and uconventional. However, it's an entertaining story in every way and will keep you listening.

Ambrose is a wizard followed by good intentions and bad luck. He fails many times in using his magic the intended way and that will make you smile and sometimes laugh.

I couldn't quite figure out the plot in this story and it could go one way or the other in my head. I had a problem with the term 'bloodsuckers' - just call them for what they are - vampires!

You'll meet many other creatures, that will give Ambrose the time of the day. You'll also get some light romance and I don't think this book is for kids, because you'll run into some horror elements.

Jake Urry did a great narration once again and he always gives me the chills when he comes up with his horror voices. When Jake is narrating he is a wolf in sheep's clothing! From the sweet and good Ambrose to a horrible creature makes me gasp, when Jake is performing!

*This book was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

jean doe

DFW

04/09/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Fast Paced with an array of different Creatures.."

Any additional comments?

This is an adventure story about retribution and second chances.

Ambrose, the male lead, is on a soul searching journey where he encounters Florentina, a vampire, whois in search of a cure for her "infection".

An odd romance develops between the pair, however, their paths must split but they hope to meet up again soon.

Overall, this was an interesting book, the story had a little bit of everything and was quit an entertaining read or listen.

Jake Urry did a good job with the narration.

Note:"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

korinka

02/08/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Such a great mix of gore and optimism :D"

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would. I'd say: "Want to read something that has Rincewind's hairy cousin, loveable monsters and a metallic Clint Eastwood in it?"

Basically, if you're hankering for a fast-paced, light-hearted adventure story (where things go boom and blood splatters everywhere), you're at the right place!

The Wizard is a perfect book for a reader that likes to be swept by action (and some ultra-quick romance). It has imperfections of form that somewhat distract from the story, but not too many. We don't get to see much of the internal monologue or background for the characters - these folks just go and do epic stuff. But the author makes us care about them anyway, which is very good.

I appreciate that the author took time to think through the mechanics of magical transformations (think turning into a werewolf on full stomach). And there are lovely plot twists. They would have had a greater impact if they were set up a bit forward in the story, but you're going to like them anyway.

Have you listened to any of Jake Urry’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Indeed I have not, but I'm not opposed to it at all for the future. He's got a nice tempo and quite the array of voices and accents. I'd add more urgency to the narration in places, but that's just me. Jake's performance makes this book richer and more engaging.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Watch this as a movie? Of course not. This is a TV series. Duh!

I hope we'll see other stories of Ambrose and Reggie in this universe. And Bertold - gosh, he's my favorite. Ambrose is fine, but Bertold needs his own book! Read The Wizard, you'll see why.

I'm a huge lover of worldbuilding and the world of The Wizard has great potential. I'm curious about the magic system, the creatures and the characters, too. Nice job, mister Whittaker, for making me picture the Tookingtons :D

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Jason Engler

Atlanta, GA USA

01/08/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Another Coming of Age tale"

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Ambrose is a bungler of a wizard. Despite good intentions, he always screws up. When trying to impress his colleagues, he accidentally burns down a village. When trying to disarm a hunter, he accidentally kills him. When trying to make a flower grow larger, he accidentally summons nearly indestructible creatures hell bent on attacking him. So when he sets off to cure his love of an illness, you can bet he's going to screw this one up too. When he picks up a girl and wolf companions, i wondered if it was a subtle homage to Inspector Gadget, though they ended up not taking on the role of Penny and Brain after all.

It didn't end the way I expected, for better or for worse. I thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. I was a little let down by the villains, then I realized the plot wasn't really the main focus. The story unfolds as more as a coming-of-age tale, following characters as they change throughout the story. Bertold has come to a (partial) circle from a kind husband to monstrous hunter to ally. Reggie and Ambrose both grow from reckless children to more mature people. Florentina, once a impulsive girl, turns to a simple life.

Since the main characters are all pretty much kids, i would have preferred a younger sounding narrator. But i felt the narrator did well with what he had, using a more innocent voice for Reggie and a harsher voice for the villains. The character voices are all distinct so you can tell them apart.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Josh R

30/07/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Interesting Fantasy Story"

On the surface this is an interesting fantasy novel about love and revenge, but once you start listening there is a lot more. The author weaves several story arcs together to make it an interesting listen. The basic premise of the story is a wizard who sets out to find a cure for his lady friend’s vampirism. One of the things I found interesting is that the wizard can’t seem to accomplish anything in the manner he intended and ends up overdoing it, every time. The author also introduced other characters, like werewolves, shape shifters, undead, and something called Tookingtons, which I like to imagine as giant Pikmin. He combined it all to make it an interesting listen that I finished in one sitting. The narrator did really well as well. I enjoyed all the voices he chose for the characters, and he kept them all distinguishable enough that I had no difficulties following who was talking. Lastly, as a word of warning, I don’t think that this book is kid friendly. Overall, this was an enjoyable listen, and I would gladly listen to more books if the author ever chose to continue this story.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

12/07/17

Overall

Performance

Story

"Interesting Fantasy Story"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, This is an adventure story about retribution and second chances

Which character – as performed by Jake Urry – was your favorite?

Ambrose is a wizard followed by good intentions and bad luck. Jake Urry did a great job with the narration

Any additional comments?

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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